Early Arrival
by NewbieJr88
Summary: This is just a lil something I wrote for fun. Not totally in character. Hope you like it. Rachel is early for s meeting with Trent and walks into an awkward situation. One shot.


**Early Arrival**

"Twenty minutes early," I muttered as I waited for Quen outside of Trent's main office. We had a meeting set for three to discuss the next steps in for the Rosewood Babies. If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be working with Trent, I would have told them to take a ride to the mental hospital. But that was before a three day road trip to help him steal his daughter, him saving my life, us banding together to save the ever-after, and a few kisses, now I didn't know where we stand. Not quit friends, not enemies, and definitely not lovers. Trent's fiancé Ellasbeth just came into town yesterday to drop the girls off for their month with their dad. To be honest I am looking forward to seeing them again.

As I stood there waiting for Quen to finish talking with one of the security guys, I couldn't help but wonder if and how much Trent was going to tell Ellasbeth about our _encounter_ a few weeks ago. It started off an innocent night, but things ended up a little steamy. To be honest I liked it and I have not been able to keep my mind off of the way it felt to have Trent's arms wrapped around me. _Stop it Rachel, it would never work._

"Sorry about that, Rachel,"Quen said as he held out his arm to direct me towards the back offices.

"Not a problem, I am early anyhow."

"Sa'han, I mean Trent is waiting for you in his apartments. He thought you might like to see the girls while you are here." His voice was smooth and musical, but not as beautiful as Trent's.

"I would love to see Lucy and Ray. How was your time at Ellasbeth's?" She was a royal pain in the rear, but her and Trent's union meant peace and a new beginning for their species.

"You know how she is," he laughed "but I think the girls are starting to warm up to her."

"Oh," the idea that she was going to be acting as their mother and not Ceri caused me tremendous heartache. I am sure it is harder on Quen. He loved Ceri with all his soul and she felt the same for him. The fact that her death could have been avoided still pains me. We continued down the hall that headed towards the public gathering area of Trent's apartments. The Sounds of water fill the silence now lingering between Quen and me. I am sure his thoughts had gone in the same direction as mine when he gave me a half heart smile.

"Time will heal," he said with the same enthusiasm his smile held. I just nodded in response. I doubted time could ever fully heal a heart that was broken after loving when it thought love was impossible.

Quen's pace slowed and he placed a hand to his right ear before speaking into the mike at his wrist, "Ok I will be there in just a moment." He stopped and turned towards me, "I am sorry there is a matter I must see to. I believe you can find your way from here."

I nodded. "Are you sure you can trust me to stay out of Trent's offices," I teased. I had not tried to break into Trent's office for quite some time, not since him and I had come to an understanding. _May be I should break in just once more for fun . . . nah._

"I'll catch up with you after this is taken care of. He should be in his private living area. The girls should be up from their nap at any moment."

"Ok, see you in a few." He turned off to the right and I headed for the double door still a little ways down.

After passing through his more public living room, I came to the small hall that lead to his more private quarters. I normally cut through the kitchen, but I was interested to see exactly where this hall entered. As I made my way through the doors in the hall, that full separated the two areas; I began to hear raised voices. At first I shrugged it off as being Trent getting on to one of his employees, but then I heard a female voice responding, Ellasbeth. The two of them could put up a united front, but most days they were at each other's throats. How they planned on running an entire species together was beyond me. But I figure whatever he is yelling at her about, she probably deserves it and then some. "I don't want her here and I don't see why you insist on working with her. I am sure there are plenty of other people more qualified to assist you then _her_," I guess Ellasbeth just found out I was on my way over. She disliked me about as much as I disliked her. The fact that she found me in naked in her tub the first night we met probably didn't help the situation. Or was it that I ruined her first attempt to marry Trent by arresting him on their Wedding day? No matter. The feeling was mutual. I'll be civil as long as she does and by the sounds of it today is not going to be a civil day for her.

"She is better qualified than anyone else I know to help with the Rosewood Babies. I made her partner on this for a reason!"

"Are you sure there is not more going on with two of you?! I see the way she dresses, that little whore is trying to mess things with us up."

"She is not a whore and you have no right to talk about her in that manner. Our problems have nothing to do with her." _I should probably make some noise to let them know I am on my way,_ I thought as I slowed down my pace.

"But you are not denying that there is _something_ going on with you two!"

"What do you want me to say? That there is nothing between her and I? That I don't care about her? That I don't want her around?"

"That would be a good place to start! She has no business being here!"

"She has business being here if I say she does!"

"I will not put up with her being around when I am here, and I _don't_ want her here when I am out!"

The noise that Trent made to follow her comment was pure frustration bubbling out.

"Last time I was here she was wearing your ring and she is the first person on your emergency call list. Why is she first? Shouldn't it be Quen? Or, I don't know, your _future_ _wife_!"

"And if I am snagged by a demon, how are you going to assist me? She is first because I trust her and know she can help. If something happens to me Quen will know about it before she is ever called." Oh, that makes my day. But he does have a point Ellasbeth would be useless against . . . basically anything. Especially with the kind of trouble Trent tends to find himself in.

"You know she tried to give _me_ advice on our relationship!? Who does she think she is that she can stick her nose into our business? You need to get rid of her _now_!"

"I am not going to 'get rid of her.' This is one thing I simply refuse to do! " By this point I could tell they were both at the ends of their wits and someone was going to say something they couldn't take back. I really need to make some kind of noise and let them know someone can hear them before it gets to that point. But as I began to take another step forward Ellasbeth brought up a point I myself wouldn't mind knowing the answer to, "Give me one good reason . . ." Her words drifted off.

"Because I love her!"

Silence burst into the air harsher then screaming match. I stood there. Mid stride. Shocked. _He loves me._ The shock sunk in farther as I backed up a step. _I need to get out of here. . . . _I took another step back._ He loves me . . ._ I turned and flattened my back against the wall. My jaw was slack in disbelief. I slid to the floor. Arms around my legs. Head hanging between my knees. I sat there, numb. _Him and I could never be_. In some ways I wanted this, but in so many more I knew it was the wrong. He had a duty to hold up to. An entire species depending on him. I heard the clatter of the Kitchen door and Quen's voice "Where's Rachel?"

"She hasn't arrived yet," came Trent's musical voice still strain with the words that had been thrown between Ellasbeth and him.

"She arrived fifteen minutes ago. I escorted her to the entrance of the public living room myself, told her you were in here waiting for her. Sorry Sa'han, I had another task come up I had to leave her. She should be here already."

"Shit. . . . Rachel?" His voice was pleading and I wanted to respond.

"The little bitch probably grabbed some valuables and ran."

"Shut up Ellasbeth! . . . Rachel?" His voice was growing closer but still I sat there in shock. I heard his steps growing closer and I had to do something before he found me. May be I could act like I had missed the whole thing. I gathered my strength, and slowly rose from my spot on the wall. I could not bring myself to stand up straight, but at least I was not slumped on the floor.

A shadow appeared at the end of the hallway. I brought my head up to find Trent standing there, a rush of emotions crossing his face. "Rachel, can we talk . . ." he started but his words quickly halted at mine.

"Y-you," I stumbled "you." And that's all I could manage to get out. The space between us seemed nothing, as Trent glided forward and was suddenly infront of me.

"Rachel, please, let's talk." His beautiful voice sounded so luring, pleading me to come forward. I stood there staring up at him, unmoving.

"You said," was all I could manage to scrape out. The rest of my words lost in the close confines of my throat.

"How? When?"

"I think that I have for a while, I just didn't know it till I found Lucy. I think I always loved you."

"I don't understand."

"Just please come sit down so we can talk." He reached for me, placing a hand on my arm. I quickly pulled away and backed up a few feet. The painful look in his eyes hurt. I turned around and ran. I can't deal with this right now. I don't know how it's supposed to make me feel. I don't know how I feel about it. "Rachel, please," he called after me with so much pain and pleading in his once musical voice. Part of me wanted to turn around and comfort him, but my fight or flight was in full flight mode.

I made it past the door separating the private and public areas. Once on the other side I collapsed against a wall. I felt like I should be crying. Like I should be doing something other than standing there against the wall in shock. _He loves me. He has always loved me._ Nothing was making sense and then he came through the door. When he saw me, he stopped dead in his tracks and threw up his hands in a surrender pose. "What do you want me to say, Trent?"

"Nothing, just hear me out."

"I can't do this. It will never work!" Anger was easier than shock. I need to be mad, _that will make this easier_. I tried to muster up all the anger in me.

"I am not asking you to do anything but listen to me for just five minutes. Can you do that?" I couldn't tell if it was anger, frustration, or aggravation that was leaking into his speech.

I just looked at him. His eyes locked on mine, with so much pleading in them. So much left unsaid in those strikingly beautiful green eyes. At my lack of a response, he lowered his hands and stepped towards me. I allowed him to direct me towards the sitting area across from the slightly raised stage.

I sat in a chair with my arms wrapped around my center. He made his way to the chair across from me and sat on the edge with his head in his hands. I glared at the floor between us. I couldn't bring myself to look up to him. He took a couple of calming breaths before sitting back slightly and taking on a more relaxed posture. "I'm not asking for you to feel the same way. That's why I have not told you or acted on . . ." His voice drifted off for a second before finding more solid ground. "I think that a part of me has always loved you in some way." I started to interrupt but he held up a hand to stall me. My head was still down but I could feel his eyes on me. He reached across the space between us and put my hands in his to get me to look at him. Whether he knew it or not, I could see in his eyes he wanted me to say that I loved him too. He must have known they were giving away something, because he closed his eyes and took a ragged and forced breath. On exhale he opened his eyes, which now held more resolve in them. "I don't want you to do anything more then to continue to work with me. I don't want you knowing this to change our professional relationship," his voice now had a business sound to it, but I could hear the desire behind his words. There was more he wanted to say but was holding back. The idea of me no longer working with him was painful, I could tell as he sat there waiting for me to fill in the holes.

"I'm not going to leave," I said quietly but surely. There was a sudden brightness in his eyes, those beautiful green eyes. The relief in his eyes reminded me of just how much he had lost in his life. How much he had lost recently. In that instant I knew there was no way I could leave. I could not cause him pain. "Thank you," he whispered. And though there was no more I needed to say, I heard myself continue to speak, "I couldn't leave if I tried." I heard his breath catch and with that so did mine. For three heartbeats I sat there looking into his eyes- watching the rush of emotions behind them- before I remembered to breathe. Slowly I pulled my hands from his and stood. He followed. I could tell there were questions he wanted to ask me, but neither of us was willing to break the silence.

I dropped my gaze and turned away. I got three steps before I felt his hand on my arm turning me towards him. In one fluid motion he brought his free hand up to my jaw line and kissed me. As I felt his lips on mine I felt the urge to not only return the kiss but to bring it deeper, to give it meaning. Both his arms went around me pulling me against him and my hands dove into his silky hair. The kiss grew, but before passion took me over he pulled away. Breathing heavily he rested his forehead on mine and breathed "business partners." It was a statement laced with a question. His arms were still around my waist and mine around his neck. I was unable to release him. I nodded against him, "business partners." He rolled his forehead off mine and leaned in for another kiss but hesitated, stopping short of my lips and holding. Far enough away that I would have to move more than a little if I wanted to kiss him. Everything was riding on my response to his move. _Pull away and keep things how they are or . . ._ With that thought I did the only thing that seemed right, the only thing I didn't expect myself to do. I loosened my grip on his hair and closed the distance between our lips.

The time between his move and my response was less than a second but it felt like an eternity. And the bliss that came in that kiss made up for the eternity of waiting. His hold on me became more passionate and filled with desire. I didn't even realize I was doing it when I sent out my awareness to the closest line and allowed it to flow through my chi and into him. As he received it and our chis balanced, he let out a sound of pleasure that I met with one of my own when he pulled on my chi then pushed it back into me with a little of his. I allowed our chis to equalized once again and pulled away breathing heavily. "We have work to do," I gasped. He made a noise from his throat that I could only interpret as frustration. I couldn't contain my little laugh at his response.

I had just crossed into territory that I never thought I'd be in with Trent.


End file.
